This story caught my eye. According to a study by the National Center for Educational Statistics, the percentage of full-time employees in higher ed classified as 'faculty' is decreasing, and the percentage classified as 'administrators' is increasing. The IHE summary doesn't define 'administrator,' so it's tough to interpret - it appears to be a catch-all for full-time non-faculty -- but what caught my eye was the distinction between one sector of higher ed and the rest.

A new correspondent writes:
Within the last year I've completed my PhD in English. In thinking about future jobs, I think I'd be a good fit either at a CC or at a teaching-centered institution with undergraduate education as it's main mission (SLAC, regional state, etc). Here's the catch: I likely won't actually be looking for that job for 8, 10, or even 15 years.

My cc is dealing with a statewide initiative that may or may not succeed at its intended goals. It's fairly high-stakes, it's mandated by legislation that says 'what' but not 'how,' and it would involve - if it succeeds - upending some longstanding local political compromises.
I'm in the enviable position of being my campus's rep to the statewide committee working on this. Which means that I'm also the translator, updating my college on the project as it unfolds.

There's a special kind of relief that comes from realizing that it's not just you.
I attended a presentation (and group exercise) on "How to attempt to prevent sensitive issues from becoming legal headaches." The room was packed, and it was a pretty good mix of retired administrators, active deans and chairs, and active faculty. The advice was pretty boilerplate - document everything, enforce rules evenhandedly, etc. But the discussion!

Although nobody here has addressed it directly, as far as I've noticed, there's a definite theme underlying many of the discussions here. In discussions of topics as varied as teacher education, workforce development, and the need for more cc funding generally, the headline usually comes with a qualifier: what we *really* mean is a need for more STEM (science,